Multi-chamber substrate processing apparatuses are known that have multiple vacuum processing devices arranged near a vacuum transfer module, the vacuum processing devices being configured to perform various substrate processes on a semiconductor wafer, such as film formation, etching, oxide diffusion, annealing, or modification. The multi-chamber processing apparatus is configured to successively perform requisite substrate processes on a wafer by transferring the wafer between the vacuum process modules via the vacuum transfer chamber. By clustering plural vacuum processing devices in this manner, the substrate processing throughput may be improved.
Patent Document 1 discloses a tandem-type substrate processing apparatus in which two clustered multi-chamber devices are connected in series via a gate valve, and a relay chamber is provided for transferring a wafer between vacuum transfer modules of first and second clusters. The first cluster includes a load lock module, and a wafer is transferred to the vacuum transfer module of the first cluster via the load lock module. The wafer transferred to the vacuum transfer module of the first cluster successively undergoes a number of substrate processes at vacuum process modules of the first cluster. When the substrate processes at the first cluster are completed, the wafer is transferred to the second cluster via the relay chamber. At the second cluster, a number of substrate processes are successively conducted on the wafer in a manner similar to the first cluster. When the substrate processes are completed, the processed wafer follows the same path in reverse order to be discharged.
Patent Document 2 discloses a substrate processing apparatus in which only vacuum process modules that require a substrate to be passed under a reduced-pressure atmosphere are connected to a vacuum transfer module to form one cluster, and vacuum process modules that are allowed to pass a substrate to/from each other under air atmosphere are each connected to an atmosphere transfer module via load lock modules. Patent Document 2 also discloses a substrate processing apparatus in which two clusters are arranged in parallel along a wafer transfer direction of an atmosphere transfer mechanism and a wafer supplied from outside is transferred to the load lock modules of the clusters.